Studies and Sketches

Refresh Yourself

2012-02-07T16:54:00.000-06:00

Ah....

Nothing like a few spritzes of lavender water across the face for quick refresh.

Come refresh yourself with my online drawing and watercolor course! The whole experience is greater than the sum of the part.

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Free Drawing Lesson eBook
Free Song Download (my well-loved Great Day)
and my Weekly eZine Stroke and Flow

Become a Creator!

2011-12-26T18:03:00.001-06:00

Share this video!

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Join my Tribe and receive a FREE package of inspiration

Free Drawing Lesson eBook
Free Song Download (my well-loved Great Day)
and my Weekly eZine Stroke and Flow

Learn about my Online Drawing and Watercolor Course.

Online Courses in Drawing + Watercolor 2012

2011-12-04T19:01:00.001-06:00

Registration is now open for my 2012 Online Courses in Drawing and Watercolor!

You have 3 courses to choose from:

Enter Here is short, Open up is 12-weeks Transform is 24-weeks
self-paced + independent of intensive fundamentals that will change your life

Join one of my encouraging online courses and discover your untapped creative potential.

Whether you're an absolute beginner or just can't get started on your own —
Find out more about these online courses and which might suit you best!

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Join my Tribe and receive a FREE package of inspiration

Free Drawing Lesson eBook
Free Song Download (my well-loved Great Day)
and my Weekly eZine Stroke and Flow

Learn about my Online Drawing and Watercolor Course.

Ardea herodias

2010-06-07T15:55:00.001-05:00

Ardea herodias
Pen and ink
8 May 2010

Read the post that goes with this drawing.

I've officially integrated my blog activity —including drawings—to suzannemcdermott.com. Please come visit.

If you'd like to learn a bit about American drawing, read my posts at Drawing America.

Thanks for coming by!

Birds and Bunnies

2010-05-05T08:47:00.002-05:00

Since completing my new eBooks, I've been in training and out in the field on assignment. All my drawing time has been confined to teaching, Stormy Sunday and to the margins of manuals, insides of folders and loose scraps. I mentioned somewhere that I've been considering birds as subjects.

and somewhere else I mentioned that I've been working up cartoons.

This is how they might start, on a random sheet.

after initial sketches in margins.

Here's the margin sketch for the bunny at top of post.

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Visit the source at Suzanne McDermott

Take some Basic Drawing Lessons. Learn How To Throw A Big Draw In Your Neighborhood!

Why I Teach Drawing

2010-05-03T00:28:00.001-05:00

This post was originally published at the Drawing America blog, then at my main blog. I think it belongs here, too.

It started as an idea in early 1997 as I stood by the Monterey Bay Aquarium looking over the Pacific and up through the pines. I'd been touring as a performing songwriter, making small drawings and watercolors of scenes across Europe and the US on my days off.

Some incident at the Aquarium had made me wonder about my observational skills. Why did I notice things that other people missed? Maybe after a lifetime spent looking at things in order to draw them, I'd trained myself to see better. If people learned to spend time drawing, I thought, perhaps they would become more observant.

As soon as I returned to Charleston, South Carolina, where I was living at the time, I designed two introductory classes (one in drawing, the other in watercolor) for guests at the Kiawah Island Resort. I've been teaching basic drawing and watercolor throughout the US at the community level ever since.

What I did not know when I first started teaching is that many people can draw pretty well on their own. I discovered in short order that everyone has their own inherent style without any instruction. That was a thrill! I also learned that drawing is not taught. It's a practice.

Sure, I instruct students on tools, some technique, visual language, point out problems in execution and offer solutions. But mostly, I help people learn how to see what they are looking at. I also point out individual stylistic choices and encourage people to recognize and develop their own natural mark making. (Why would you want to draw like anyone else?)

What I definitely did not expect was to find myself in the role of a psychological coach. Not all, but many, many adults are afraid to draw. I mean, desperately afraid of what might happen if they commit a pencil mark to paper, or make a bad drawing, or a not so great drawing. Sometimes they'll say out loud, "I can't!" When they do make a drawing, they often disparage it and themselves in no uncertain terms.

Part of my job as a teacher is to coax these students away from their self-criticism and inhibitions.

I have been known to be hard on myself and easily frustrated so am well acquainted with that part of the creative process. Still, it's a shame that the simple act of drawing produces such deep tremors in adult psyches.

On the other hand, drawing is a great, safe way to work out your neuroses, to learn how to see better, to love yourself and become a more fully realized human being. It's a joy to help people learn to accept themselves and to become more aware of their surroundings.

Teaching is a great way to learn. So is drawing. That's why I teach drawing.

Excerpt from Basic Drawing Lessons.
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Take some Basic Drawing Lessons. Learn How To Throw A Big Draw In Your Neighborhood!

2010-04-23T16:30:00.001-05:00

Library at Woburn, Mass.

Just because a book is finished does not mean that work is finished on a book!

This pen and ink was made from an early photo of the Library at Woburn, Massachusetts. I found it in a 1902 edition of the Text-Book of the History of Architecture. Of 423 pages, only 17 on architecture in the United States.

I think I performed at this library while I was touring with my program on the history of the Christmas Carol — Out Under the Sky.

This drawing illustrates one of the pages in my new eBook How To Throw A Big Draw in Your Neighborhood. That eBook is being offered with a bonus of my other new eBook Basic Drawing Lessons.

With all this work on getting other people to draw, I thought it was about time to post a drawing of my own up here. As many of you know, you can see other drawings of mine at Studies and Sketches.

I'm readjusting to a new web presence — and it's taking some tweaking (and considerable time) — but it'll all come out in the wash, as they say!

Back to work on the eBooks which is now getting them out into the world.

You can help by telling your friends and family!

How To Throw A Big Draw in Your Neighborhood
Basic Drawing Lessons

Lumber

2010-03-04T22:02:00.003-06:00

Lumbering into new territory.

I am working on a new web presence. Might take a while.

Sketch after John LaFarge

2010-02-28T19:22:00.001-06:00

It's tax day at my house. Here's a one minute demo sketch from yesterday morning's watercolor class. After John LaFarge's Wild Roses in a Chines Vase.

Doodle Birds

2010-02-27T08:56:00.001-06:00

Two quick doodles on the handout of a class I attended last night. I like these quick expressions with such few strokes. Hardly any fuss at all.

Morning Snooze

2010-02-26T08:54:00.001-06:00

The easiest subject at hand. Tallulah during her after breakfast snooze!

Canada Dry

2010-02-25T13:19:00.004-06:00

Another classic. I can see where I'm going with this and will have to switch to more appropriate paper in my next small sketchbook if I expect to use water. Buckles galore!

New Wayfarer

2010-02-24T14:54:00.002-06:00

I've been wearing Ray-Bans since my early 20's. At first I wore the Baloramas but switched to the Wayfarer which was improved when Bausch & Lomb came out with a modified version more suited to a female head, the New Wayfarer.

Bausch & Lomb stood behind their products 100% for years. Alas, with merger and acquisition fever, the service flagged and now the materials have changed, too. Still, there's nothing like the G-15 glass lens for neutral sun shade. And I'm happy that what I've loved all these years is still available!

Commitment

2010-02-23T18:54:00.001-06:00

By which I mean, back to the big screen.

Leaf 2

2010-02-22T07:23:00.000-06:00

The robins have returned! I counted five on the back yard a couple of days ago. Soon, new leaves will appear. This is a sketch from one of last year's crop.

Piece of Vine

2010-02-21T14:23:00.001-06:00

Worked up a quick sketch from some previous class during the afternoon drawing class session.

During

2010-02-20T13:02:00.002-06:00

Really, I should re-title this blog drawing on the fly for the time being. Made this sketch while students underwent torture of beginning watercolor exercises.

Unlatched

2010-02-19T11:05:00.004-06:00

A personal thank you to Gahan Wilson for giving me supreme confidence when my lines wave funny. One eye was on the guitar case, the other on Tiger Woods delivering his remarks to the public. Caught the latter by utter chance and am glad I did!

Found Drawing 2

2010-02-18T16:03:00.003-06:00

I beefed this other found drawing up with pen and as I did recognized when I made this and what for. It was August 2006 and a preliminary study for a painting of a whitewater rafter I made for a friend. Once I was into the beef up, I added the outline of the raft and some splashes.

No wonder I didn't recognize that other scribble. That's been quite a while and was the very first thing I made in this studio!

Found Drawing

2010-02-17T12:22:00.002-06:00

In the process of cleaning up the studio, I made a pile of demo drawings and in them were two drawings that I can't remember making. Or can't remember what I was trying to make. This drawing could be of a number of things but reminds me of drawings I made as a child. I beefed up the light lines this morning and spent way too long (or not long enough) trying to fix the paper shadows from the scanner.

Independent Bag

2010-02-16T13:08:00.003-06:00

A good, quick exercise found in the corner pile of my yet to be cleaned up studio. Support your local independent bookseller. Browse in real life and buy a book through a local cash register!

Two Tulips

2010-02-15T19:51:00.000-06:00

Could not help coloring them in!

Broken Switch

2010-02-14T13:21:00.004-06:00

All three of the lights in my studio supply room went out last week. I really didn't want to fool with electric wires on my own or pay to have an electrician fix a little matter. One of my drawing students helped me take the switch apart after morning class yesterday to see what the problem was. I ran to Home Depot between classes, bought a new switch, installed it and ate lunch before the afternoon class. This was the first time I've ever replaced an electric switch in my life. I am so damned proud of myself!

Peruvian Lily

2010-02-13T11:35:00.001-06:00

A little sketch with colored wash while students were working. The studio is filled with flowers. Beautiful timing for Valentine's Day weekend!

Quick Lily Late

2010-02-12T20:41:00.000-06:00

Last piece of work. Off to bed. I'm exhausted!

Wolf

2010-02-11T17:02:00.001-06:00

I've been working on a complicated illustration for hours today. Here's a tiny piece of it. Can you hear her singing?

Frothy Duck

2010-02-10T14:52:00.004-06:00

My local coffee shop now has an assortment of animal toys on sticks to identify people's orders. This morning, mine was a duck!

Evening Class Scribble

2010-02-09T21:59:00.003-06:00

A two minute scribble in between instruction and a timed exercise at this evening's Basic Drawing Class.

Wave

2010-02-08T20:25:00.003-06:00

Oh, my god! I've been staring at the laptop screen for at least six hours. Amongst other things, was working on photos of waves. So I drew this trés quickly from one. After I decided to close out the work, I went for a brush to slop in a little wash and, Lo!, the world is very suddenly covered with snow. I'm still staring at the laptop so let's see if I can close it NOW!

Pine Cone Demo

2010-02-07T13:06:00.000-06:00

Another quick in-class demo on the structure of a Loblolly pine cone. Minus the gab.

Part of a Box

2010-02-06T13:03:00.004-06:00

Can't fool with a camera today so here's what fit on the scanner of a messy, messy, sub-dominant hand charcoal demo of a file box.

Robin

2010-02-05T15:15:00.001-06:00

I'm working on some cartoons. Here's one robin I made last night with pencil scribblings underneath.

Can't live without them

2010-02-04T11:42:00.001-06:00

Well, I could live without them but not as well. Without eyeglasses and contacts and reading glasses, I would spend my days and nights groping around in a very different sort of experience!

Mendelsohn's Tower

2010-02-03T09:33:00.003-06:00

Actually, it's Einstein's Tower designed and built by Erich Mendelsohn and I would like to write an entire post on Mendelsohn, this building and architecture. However, this is place to just post drawings while I'm working on new presentations. I drew this six times between yesterday and this morning and finally made one very quickly first thing. This is it. I've been in Potsdam three times and cannot believe that I missed seeing this building!

They say that the building appears to be much larger than it really is. I'm here to tell you that it's much more difficult to draw than it might seem.

Acorn

2010-02-02T15:50:00.002-06:00

Wow, did I butcher what I drew today! Even after several attempts. So here is a drawing from two days back when I had more time.

Guggenheim Bilboa

2010-02-01T16:47:00.003-06:00

Still snowed in. Have been thinking of drawing buildings for a couple of weeks now. Hell if I'm going to get out in this weather to do so. So I turned to a book on the shelf filled with what turns out to be some of the worst architectural photographs I've ever laid eyes on. Nonetheless, I found a decent shot of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Drawing from life is far more challenging for me than drawing from photos. But drawing from photos is more fun. So is drawing from my mind's eye. Hmmmm....

Midair

2010-01-31T17:04:00.002-06:00

A classic drawing dilemma... I drew this same thing several times and each time, one or more of the fingers did not match up to their counterpart on the other side of the acorn or adjacent finger. After an hour or so, it dawned on me that if I hold my hand in midair for any length of time, its position is going to change. Duh. Next time, some sort of anchoring trick.

Bundled

2010-01-30T12:37:00.003-06:00

The house and car are bundled in snow. I'm bundled up in the studio. Had to cancel my classes. No traffic noise - only the shouts of children playing. Going to take a snow day and play myself!

Snow Day

2010-01-29T10:54:00.000-06:00

Perfect for cracking open my rarely used box of crayons.

Mr. Batey at work

2010-01-28T11:35:00.005-06:00

I'm fortunate to live a few minutes away from what may be the premiere metro parks community center in the city, complete with a new fitness room, basketball court, indoor track and pool. Andrew Batey is the gatekeeper from 6 AM - 2 PM, Monday through Friday and my favorite person in my local weekly routine. He doesn't miss a trick with anyone of any age who passes through the front door. It's a joy to stop and gab with him for a few minutes on my way to the gym or weight room.

Nap Interruptus

2010-01-27T15:38:00.004-06:00

Here's the way it almost always goes. Sleeping cat. Good subject! I sit down to sketch and, within seconds, the subject has moved to another spot. The way of the world.

Sack

2010-01-26T16:26:00.001-06:00

Sack pack on its back.

Hillside Doodle

2010-01-25T17:23:00.002-06:00

Another phone meeting doodle obviously influenced by the film on Julius Schulman I saw last night, Visual Acoustics. I've been waiting to see this for at least half a year. Wouldn't I like to be in Palm Springs right this very moment.

Partial Ivy

2010-01-24T18:21:00.002-06:00

Another demo as far as I could take it between instruction.

Leaf

2010-01-23T12:19:00.002-06:00

A quick demo from my drawing class this morning. All's well. Must run!

After Cataloging

2010-01-22T11:34:00.003-06:00

What I thought would take one, maybe two days took me a full week — Properly identifying, matting, backing, archiving and cataloging all of my paintings that had not been so handled from the past several years. I was up most nights in the studio till after 10 and finished up around 11 last night. Fortunately, I continued until I'd mostly cleaned up after myself.

Probably because of the coffee I drank after dinner last night and partially because of a situation, not in my control, that I am allowing to worry me to death, I didn't get more than a few hours of sleep.

Still, I managed to make a quick sketch of the aftermath this morning and some of the boxes of finished work all ready for collector and gallery review. Now to clean up and prepare the studio for a new batch of students coming in first thing tomorrow.

Alonso

2010-01-21T09:08:00.004-06:00

Alonso Fernando Piano held still long enough for me to conquer the structure but, alas, only just that long. Life is designed to move! This did not seem to be a problem for Gainsborough but Gainsborough I am not!

I'm dying to work in pencil where I am far more adept with the medium and mark making. But there's something to be learned in these pen exercises. Wonky as they are at the moment, I'm determined to let the process lead me. (Wherever that may be).

One Bookshelf

2010-01-20T15:21:00.003-06:00

One of my bookshelves done early this morning. Wobbly in pen but not in real life!

Figure Doodles

2010-01-19T01:39:00.001-06:00

I made these during a phone meeting this morning. Was thinking of sitting down to make another drawing but it's late, these are fun and will do just fine!

Black Hole

2010-01-18T12:11:00.004-06:00

Most of what's on TV horrifies me. However, there are a few things on basic cable worth watching, like the CSpan reports from Haiti, Cranford and Return to Cranford.

After a long afternoon into early evening of sorting paintings and matching to mats, backings and sleeves, I collapsed in front of my $5 TV. Wasn't able to pay as close attention as I would have liked to the Cranford crowd as I worked on this drawing at the same time.

I spend such little time in front of this tube that the real black hole in my experience may be this very laptop I'm looking at right now!

Stangl Bird

2010-01-17T08:30:00.006-06:00

A favorite find from a Florida yard sale excursion, this Stangl Pottery Bird sits atop my dresser. It's a Kentucky Warbler from the early 1940's. Stangl made these figures through the early 60's but, as time wore on, the color and craftsmanship waned. This one has a repaired tail but no less charm.

Half Frozen

2010-01-16T01:00:00.000-06:00

It is currently 58˚ F. Thank you, God! After spending much of the day doing new moon cleaning and clearing, I took myself out for a walk around Radnor Lake where ice slipped away from the surface. The sun was out and everyone was smiling.

Hamlin

2010-01-15T01:00:00.001-06:00

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. I've been spending my time completing unfinished business before plunging into next phase of new business. It feels good to complete and let go of projects I've delighted in.

Over Breakfast

2010-01-14T02:14:00.001-06:00

Yes, my breakfast got cold but I made my drawing for the day!

Cheekwood Parking Lot

2010-01-13T01:00:00.000-06:00

After 7+ hours as drawing juror for the regional Scholastic Art Awards, I sat in my car and made this drawing before driving off to a meeting.

Darkness Falls Over My Back Yard

2010-01-12T12:10:00.000-06:00

The longer I drew, the darker it got.

I've switched to a new journal. It's 7 x 10 which is good because I was feeling cramped in the Derwent 4.5 x 6.5 book. The smaller is fab for throwing in the purse to have on hand at all times (so good thing I have some pages left in another volume). This larger is a Cachet and the paper is not my favorite and will not take a wash but I have it - two of them - so I'll use them for now and be happy with them! So, the paper doesn't take a wash but the ink dries almost instantly and does not smear The book itself is quite nice with coil binding, board ends and an elastic closing strap.

Gloves

2010-01-11T16:02:00.002-06:00

Warm things on the last page of this journal.

Pillows

2010-01-10T01:44:00.000-06:00

A good image to post for a Sunday... the traditional day of rest!

Clock on Sill

2010-01-09T08:19:00.004-06:00

Here's a little bit from a couple of days ago. Yesterday, I used my time to work on a painting that I'll post over at Landscape into Art after I see if it needs more work. That will require me shoveling my way out to the studio. Ok, I won't need a shovel but I'm laying low in the house to use just one heating system.

It's lovely to watch the snow fall and to see the the walkway and yard undisturbed by foot and paw prints!

Boot Weather

2010-01-08T14:55:00.005-06:00

While praying for all the dogs left outside in yards, I'm working in my studio with 4 layers of clothes, 3 scarves and a cap. Yes, I have heat in the studio and the walls are very well insulated. But there are many windows (all covered) and just under the floor is slab concrete.

It's against my nature to let the wall heater run on for hours but as soon as I turn it off, the cold seeps back in. Well, it is 16˚ F but it's temporary and I'm grateful to have buildings with heat and warm clothes. And boots!

Town Hall Meeting

2010-01-07T12:06:00.004-06:00

Last night I sketched a bit while listening to pros and cons on proposal of new convention center in Nashville where there are already three convention centers.

At a time when the budgets, staff and hours for public education, public libraries and community centers are being severely slashed, the mayor has tried to send through a 600 million dollar convention center project that does not include a required hotel which would add at least an additional 300 million.

Fortunately, a local attorney started a citizens group to (hopefully) force a referendum through which the citizens will have the opportunity to approve or disapprove this project.

Tallulah's Bear

2010-01-06T08:36:00.003-06:00

From my very small notebook at my morning writing space.

Gardenias South Window

2010-01-05T13:17:00.010-06:00

Now that I am out of the bright direct sunlight, I see that I could have done a bit more with this but that's not the point. The point is simply to draw something from life every day and to let it go. It is so frigid here (still in the teens) that I could barely hold the pen properly to draw a straight line. When the temperature drops below a certain degree (not exactly sure which degree) I become all thumbs.

Although I desperately need to move on to other work, I went back in quickly with a brush and discovered that this violet ink lightens up considerably with water.

Datebook

2010-01-04T12:19:00.002-06:00

I woke up late and took hours to get in gear today. It was 9˚F when I woke. I was chiding myself for my slowness when I have so much to do! Then I read that local schools had pushed their opening times up by 2 hours. Have succumbed to the bitter weather and will do the work that I can manage.

Keys and Compass

2010-01-03T18:36:00.001-06:00

That's right, I am drawing anything and happy about it. The keys to my kingdom (queendom?), house, studio, car. And a compass in case I get lost navigating between the three of them.

Breakfast Out

2010-01-02T18:24:00.001-06:00

Here is the scene of the first neighborhood Big Draw station three months later. Very cold — 18˚F. I was so pleased to whip out my sketchbook after breakfast and sail through an exercise.

I was shopping for Lamy Safaris (my personal favorite pen) the other night, ogling new colors and considering whether to save money with a ten pack of one color (basic black) or go wild and try drawing and writing in different colors. I remembered that I had some violet cartridges stashed away so I'll be drawing in violet for a little while.

I guess the most ecologically responsible thing would be to buy a converter and fill my pen from a bottle.

Watering Can on Hiatus

2010-01-01T18:21:00.001-06:00

To help me draw every day no matter what, I am scattering drawing pads around the house and studio. Or that is my intention. I always carry one with me. I have squeezed one 4 x 6 sketchbook under the pillow where I sit to write in the morning. If I draw first thing then I don't have to sweat about it for the rest of the day. Which leaves me plenty of opportunity to make additional drawings!

Little Moon Essentials

2009-12-31T18:20:00.002-06:00

It's alarming that, while I've been working like a dog to get everyone else drawing, I have not been drawing myself! Oh, well. These things happen. So... my New Year's Resolution is to draw something every day and post it here no matter what. I do not care what it looks like or that I manage to post every day. Only that I manage to draw every day!

I grabbed the closest thing on my desk on New Year's Eve and, when I was almost through, realized that I was drawing spray bottles of Blue Moon Essentials mists on a ... Blue Moon! But I confused myself! They are Little Moon Essentials and I encourage you to try their products, especially the Sleep Comes Easy mist. It's great! (and so is the company.)

Frothy in Ink on Blue

2009-10-09T00:01:00.001-05:00

The Frothy Monkey
12th Avenue South

Tomorrow is the first neighborhood Big Draw day in the United States. Right here at the Frothy Monkey beginning at 8 AM. I expect that I'll be way too busy to draw but this is a good place to thank the one person in the neighborhood who helped me create a community event by providing a staging area and unflagging encouragement. That person is Miranda Whitcomb Pontes, owner of The Frothy Monkey. Thanks, Miranda!

Greater Christ Temple Church

2009-10-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Greater Christ Temple Church
400 10th Avenue South

I'm just repeating myself to say that this is another mad-dash sketch. But it is! I wanted to make sure to have examples of a house, an architectural detail, buildings with historic importance and at least one church while showing different mediums, styles and levels of skill.

I chose Greater Christ Temple Church as the church example because it was the best attended Sunday morning service I noticed in the closest proximity to Frothy Monkey and because the Bishop's daughter welcomed me warmly and promised to pass fliers for the Big Draw to her father.

Looks like they're moving. I expect that, of the quick drawings of buildings I've made and posted, this church building, Magpie's and probably the Belmont Waverly School will no longer exist in the not too distant future.

Teddy's House

2009-10-07T00:01:00.004-05:00

At this stage of making up drawings for the Big Draw promo exhibit, I was coloring monkey posters and agendas with markers. I set those fliers aside to throw myself with great abandon into a 5 year old's head to make this drawing based on a real house behind the Waverly Belmont School. Don't know what street it sits on but no matter.

After putting my crayola markers aside, I walked out to the mailbox where I found the new issue of Art News —

I must be doing something right.

Sunnyside

2009-10-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

Sunnyside
12th Avenue South and Kirkland Avenue

Yet another attempt at drawing style variation on a serious deadline. This is the only building in the 12 South neighborhood on the National Register for Historic Places. A quick ink sketch of all but the south wing.

Waverly Belmont School

2009-10-05T00:01:00.001-05:00

Waverly Belmont School (detail)
2301 10th Ave South

One of the (many) reasons that drawing is so important is that it helps us to understand what we are looking at.

I love the 1930s design style of this carved title in the center tower of the brick school building on 10th Avenue South built in 1935 at the beginning of the WPA and FAP programs.

It was only by drawing this detail in the last few minutes before driving off to install the promotional exhibit for Big Draw 12 South that I understood the beautiful integrity of the characters, radiating suns and spirals.

2509 12th Avenue South

2009-10-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

2509 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN

Again, this page is too large for my scanner surface so this is a detail of the star of Big Draw 12 South: This Is Where I Live! — Miranda Whitcomb Ponte's Frothy Monkey Coffeehouse.

Last night, I sketched and drew until the second I had to leave the house to install the preview exhibit. Miranda and company were out painting the interior of the new addition while I was stringing sisal and clothes pinning paper up around the main room. Now, I pray for good weather on the 10th!

1007 Gilmore Avenue

2009-10-01T22:42:00.000-05:00

1007 Gilmore Avenue

Nashville, TN

I wish I had time to fiddle in photoshop and clean up the dulled edge of this paper - too big for my scanner surface.

As I was passing out early fliers for Big Draw Nashville, I met the fellow who lived here and had designed the addition (in back) to keep and honor the integrity of the front, original part of the house. They did a fabulous job and the red paint they chose for most of the house is a perfect shade!

Office Building at Sunnyside

2009-09-30T22:48:00.002-05:00

Office Building
Sunnyside
12th Avenue South and Kirkland Ave.

I have been madly cranking out drawings of buildings in the 12 South Neighborhood over the past couple of days as promo for the first Big Draw Nashville. The idea was to get neighborhood artists and Frothy employees to pitch in. The reality is that John Newman at Frothy made one great drawing, I have the two boys next door making last minute pencil sketches and it looks like it'll be a mostly Suzanne McDermott mini drawing exhibit for 10 days.

So, anyway, while trying to work up different styles and mediums, I really got tired of signing my name because this is not all about me. I signed my late mother's maiden name to the above because it's her birthday. I like it. It's a little Gahan Wilson-ish.

More to come.

Magpie's

2009-09-27T22:00:00.004-05:00

Magpie's
2227 10th Avenue South
Nashville, TN

I'm making a little pile of promotional drawings of buildings in the 12 South Neighborhood for promo during the 10 days leading up to Big Draw Nashville. Here's the first effort. Little building, big deal.

Big Draw 12 South: This Is Where I Live!

2009-08-10T15:36:00.000-05:00

My favorite monkey.

The Frothy Monkey

2009-07-30T19:33:00.000-05:00

A well-loved coffee house on 12 Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee. The staging area for Big Draw Nashville, a rather important part of my current project.

Unfinished

2009-07-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

In a little bit of downtime, I turned the page of a garden book and found a glorious painting by I have no idea who made I have no idea when. But probably an English painter and probably in the 19th century. I love to sketch from photos and paintings. It's easy for me. I sketch from life most of the time because it's really difficult for me. Now that I write that in public, it strikes me as ridiculous. I think the greater truth is that I enjoy drawing from life because I enjoy connecting to life in the moment, as difficult as that may be.

Green Thumb Farm Stand

2009-06-29T19:19:00.000-05:00

A glimpse of my part-time summer job. I felt like I was 17 again. A delight to work with plants and fresh vegetables and a stream of lovely customers. I squeezed this sketch into a moment of downtime and never had the chance to work it up a bit as I'd intended.

The Garden Comes Forth

2009-05-28T19:26:00.003-05:00

Along with the Sweet Bay Magnolia, one of the first plants to come forth with blooms in my garden is the Snow Queen Oakleaf Hydrangea.

Venice, California

2009-05-20T19:08:00.000-05:00

My home away from home in Venice, California. Poor Skippy the dog (sitting on the porch chair) became a blob due to waterbrush and bleeding ink.

Last morning coffee on Abbot Kinney Street before my last beach walk.

En route from LAX (what a mess!) to Nashville. Here's a tip: never try to use a waterbrush in a pressurized airplane cabin. What a flow!!!!

Rescued Bird

2009-05-16T19:06:00.001-05:00

After the workshop on Saturday, I drove up to Morro Bay for a walk on the beach north of Atascadero. Almost immediately, I spotted a stranded bird at the water's edge. Two young veterinarians had been watching the bird from the dunes for over an hour, watching it exhaust itself flapping it's wings with no results. As I leaned over the bird, I smelled a strong odor of oil and noticed that it's left wing and under-down were covered in oil.

I lifted the bird in a towel the young vets had given me and began walking, looking for help from someone. Eventually, I learned that there was a campground some ways up the beach and worked my way up there to the host who called his dispatcher who called a State Park Ranger who eventually came by in his pick up truck. The Ranger had a crate for the bird in the back of his truck and had called the local wildlife rescue organization who had a staff member waiting at the facility two minutes away.

A happy ending because all the bird needed was a wash and a rest. I did a slow burn about the young veterinarians who made no attempt to help the bird and thought of reporting them to their employers but time passed. But now that I've written this, I was prompted to pick up the phone to do so. Which I did. Now I can put the matter to rest with hopes that the bird is in flight again.

Brahms Requiem Cal Poly

2009-05-15T19:03:00.000-05:00

I sat in on a rehearsal of the Brahms Requiem at Cal Poly and arrived as the first few musicians wandered onto the stage. I began sketching as the orchestra and choir assembled and continued (for a little while) after the hall was plunged into darkness. Sketching in the dark can be fun!

Santa Barbara Marina

2009-05-13T18:58:00.001-05:00

I made the most of every minute in Santa Barbara, walking for hours upon hours. I finally plopped down on the beach before sunset and made this drawing.

Santa Barbara Courthouse Staircase

2009-05-13T18:57:00.001-05:00

I paused on the outside of the outdoor/indoor staircase at the ever-fabulous Santa Barbara Courthouse and thoroughly enjoyed making this drawing.

Palm Springs in Ink

2009-05-11T18:51:00.000-05:00

Here's the same view (more or less) out the front door of my Palm Springs host as seen in watercolor demo at Landscape into Art.

Flying Lobster

2009-05-03T22:19:00.000-05:00

Lobster Head

2009-05-02T22:18:00.000-05:00

Waving Lobster

2009-05-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

Lobster from Below

2009-04-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

Lobster portrait

2009-04-28T22:07:00.004-05:00

I read this article about George the Giant Lobster and decided to post some old drawings of lobsters I found in one of my books. These were ideas for a book I was toying with some years back about a girl and her lobster. Over the next week, I'll be posting my favorites of these drawings.

Nine Cats 9

2009-02-05T01:15:00.002-06:00

"If I really work at it, I wonder how much more hair I can scatter around."

To all winners of previous captions, email me privately with your addresses so that I can send you your little prizes!

Nine Cats 8

2009-02-04T01:15:00.001-06:00

"GULP.... THAT was NOT Tuna!!!??????"

Submitted by Sandy Maudlin.

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.

Nine Cats 7

2009-02-03T01:15:00.003-06:00

"I know she'll drop something tasty soon..."
(watching the baby's high chair.)

Submitted by Trish.

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.

Nine Cats 6

2009-02-02T01:15:00.004-06:00

"The playmate -oops, play date- is over now."

Submitted by Aubrey (daughter of Mineke).

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.

Nine Cats 5

2009-01-30T01:15:00.002-06:00

You're not leaving again? Please?

Submitted by Mineke.

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.

Nine Cats 4

2009-01-29T01:15:00.003-06:00

I'm going to the vet to be....WHAT?!?!

Submitted by Rhonda Carpenter.

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.

Nine Cats 3

2009-01-28T01:15:00.002-06:00

I know you're in there....

The game here is to comment with a caption that describe what each cat in this series is thinking. Whoever gives me the biggest laugh wins a prize.

See my paintings at Landscape into Art.